Lagos Intensifies Fight Against Malnutrition, Maternal Mortality

The Lagos State Government has stepped up efforts to tackle malnutrition and improve maternal and child healthcare through the distribution of essential healthcare commodities to Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across Ibeju-Lekki, Eti-Osa and Epe.

In a post on its official X page, the state government said the initiative was implemented through Health District III as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve health outcomes across the communities.

Speaking during the distribution exercise held on Thursday at the District Headquarters in Ikoyi, the Permanent Secretary, Health District III, Dr Monsurat Adeleke, said the district had recorded significant progress in the fight against child malnutrition through its quarterly nutrition intervention programme.

“The prevalence of wasting among children in the District has reduced from 15% to 8%,” Adeleke said, attributing the improvement to consistent government support, regular nutrition screening and effective community-based interventions.

She added that nutrition officers at PHCs would continue to conduct food demonstration classes for mothers and caregivers using the cooking utensils provided under the programme.

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Adeleke also said the district was intensifying efforts to reduce maternal mortality by strengthening the prevention and management of Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH).

She explained that calibrated obstetric drapes were being distributed to PHCs “to enable healthcare workers to accurately measure blood loss, facilitate prompt diagnosis and improve emergency management of PPH.”

The Permanent Secretary further emphasised the importance of family planning in promoting healthy birth spacing, improving maternal health and ensuring better outcomes for mothers and their children.

Responding, the Apex Nurse of Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA, Nurse Eunice Shofolahan, expressed appreciation to the state government for its sustained efforts to provide quality healthcare services to residents.

She promised that healthcare workers would ensure “the judicious use of the equipment” provided to the facilities.

The commodities distributed included family planning commodities and consumables, cooking utensils for nutrition food demonstration classes, and calibrated obstetric drapes for the prevention and management of postpartum haemorrhage.